A new NHL season is underway, but the Boston Bruins haven't exactly picked up where they left off after capturing last year's Stanley Cup title.
The tough-luck B's are 1-3 to start the new year, with each of the three losses coming by one goal. Despite last year's success, the early-season stumble has landed them at No. 9 in the first edition of the Real Clear Sports aggregated power rankings. Fox Sports was most kind to Bruins with a No. 6 rankings, while The Hockey News had the gall to drop the defending champions all the way to No. 14.
Boston's Northeast Division rivals, the Buffalo Sabres topped the list with the Detroit Red Wings, Philadelphia Flyers and San Jose Sharks also garnering first-place votes. Boston's divisional foes, the Ottawa Senators were ranked dead last, with only Sports Illustrated electing not to give them a 30th-place vote. The two other Canadian teams in the Northeast Division, the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Montreal Canadiens, were ranked 12th and 15th, respectively.
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